In California, fires are a real threat. In recent years, we have had massive fires that have burned down forests, grass covered hills and trees as well as entire neighborhoods leaving destruction, devastation and death. Many of these fires can be traced to electric poles​, which is where site developers like to put their newest 4G & 5G antennas. 

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In order to accommodate the newest wireless ​infrastructure like 5G​, companies like Verizon are using existing wood electrical poles which require an increase of pole height by 20-25%. They are using these wood poles because they are the cheapest way to build this infrastructure. Adding a 10-ft extension onto 40- or 50-ft pole significantly lengthens the pole while decreasing the force of wind required to topple a pole. When you add more communications equipment to this increased pole height, this "pole loading" adds significantly to pole failure and possibly pole fires! Below are examples of fire issues with poles.

The city of Malibu, which has been deeply impacted by these types of fires, is finding design and engineering flaws in almost every application for cell towers reviewed by their engineers. Most cities let these laws slide through.  Fiber is needed for 5G to operate, and the fiber is not all underground; much of it is strung from utility pole to utility pole with lashing wires, and the lashing wires can come loose due to faulty equipment or improper installation.  

• The Los Angeles Times has stated that  California utility equipment sparked more than 2,000 fires in over a three year period. 
• Cal Fire determined 17 of 21 California fires in 2018 were attributed to pole issues. 
• The deadly Campfire was confirmed to be started by power lines and pole loading by wireless antennas is one of many issues contributing to all of these fires.  
• 2007 Malibu, California: A Southern California Edison pole (SCE) was structurally overloaded by three wireless carrier facilities owned by AT&T, Verizon and Sprint (now T-Mobile). The pole snapped in the wind and ignited the tall grass. The Malibu Canyon Fire burned over 6 square miles.
• 2015 Stockton, California: A truck hit the utility pole with 60 kV transmission lines and 12 kV distribution lines in Stockton. The 60 kV line contacted the 12 kV line and instantly increased the voltage on the 12 kV line.  Approximately 5,000 meters owned by Pacific Gas & Electric catastrophically failed. Approximately 80 house fires started as a result.  
• 2018 Paradise, California: The head of PG&E pled guilty in June 2022 to 84 counts of manslaughter in the deaths of residents who are unable to escape their homes and unable to call for help because cell phones did not work after PG&E cut the power. The deadly Campfire was confirmed to be started by power lines and pole loading. 
• 2018 Malibu, California: The Woolsey Fire is currently under criminal investigation and therefore the name of the telecommunications carrier involved in the ignition of one of the two key ignition points of the Woolsey Fire is not public knowledge at this time. We know that a telecommunication’s lashing wire was involved. The Woolsey Fire burned three people to death in their cars as they were trying to escape, cost $6 billion, and burned over 400 homes in Malibu – some of which have still not been permitted for rebuilding. 
• Silverado Fire (2020). This fire was caused by a telecom lashing wire that came loose and forced the evacuation of over 130,000 people.

For more information about fires click here.

The League of California Cites Opposition Letter

Over 50 cities in California have written letters in opposition including-

1. Campbell Opposition SB 556 second   page shows approval.
2. Cupertino Opposition SB 556
3. Elk Grove Opposition SB 556
4. Encinitas Opposition SB 556 page 5
5. Fairfax Opposition SB 556
6. Laguna Beach Opposition SB 556
7. Long Beach Article Opposing SB 556
8. Los Altos Opposition SB 556
9. Los Angeles Opposition SB 556
10. Marin County Opposition SB 556
11. Newport Beach Opposition SB 556
12. Palo Alto Opposition SB 556
13. Palos Verdes Opposition SB 556
14. Ranchos Palos Verdes Opposition SB 556
15. Ross Opposition SB 556
16. Santa Barbara Opposition SB 556
17. Santa Clarita Opposition SB 556
18. Sebastopol Opposition SB 556
19. Solana Beach installing their own   Municipal Fiber
20. Vacaville Opposition SB 556
21. Vista Opposition SB 556

• The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments writes in opposition to AB 537, “We oppose AB 537 because it takes away the authority of local governments to plan their communities, to protect the safety of local residents, and to protect the aesthetics of the community.” They also Oppose SB 556 for similar reasons.

• Physicians for Safe Technology also Opposes SB 556 and AB 537 and has written a Letter in Opposition to these bills.

Other groups working on this issue include:

• Americans for Responsible Technology on California Telecom Bills– – https://www.americansforresponsibletech.org/talking-points-ca
• Keep Cell Antennas Away.org- Flyer on AB 537- http://www.keepcellantennasawayfromourelkgrovehomes.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Keep-Cell-Antennas-Away-flyer-on-AB-537-June-24-v3.pdf
• Environmental Health Trust– https://ehtrust.org/take-action-on-california-telecom-telecom-5g-streamline-bills-2021/
• Mom’s Across America has written a letter to California Legislators opposing SB 556, SB 378 and AB 537  
• Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 9 Opposes SB 556  as “it’s a giveaway to big corporations on the backs of workers, residents, and communities.”   The CWA is pushing for more Federal oversight of broadband deployment. In an April 12, 2021 press release they state, “Telecom industry executives said deregulation was necessary for competition and that competition would magically fix everything,” said Brenda Roberts, Vice President of CWA District 7 which covers the Mountain West, Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest. “It hasn’t, and the public needs watch dogs we can work with to ensure this essential service is there for our communities today and into the future. Without regulation, the goal of universal broadband service is just a nice dream.”

 Organizations Opposing

1. MISAC Goes on Record Opposing SB 556 - MISAC
2. Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 556 (Dodd): Small Wireless Facility Siting | Rural Counties (rcrcnet.org)
3. Update on Key Housing, Land Use, Transportation, and Tribal Relations Bills - California State Association of Counties

This blatant power play by the telecoms undermines the whole purpose of local zoning laws and  the election of local officials who represent the interests of their constituents. It mocks the idea  that the people who live in the community should have some say over how – or even if – every  new technology that comes along must be automatically accepted.  

The industry’s latest marketing blitz for “5G” ignores the fact that 5G doesn’t offer any actual  improvement over our current service. It won’t improve our phone connections, and it’s not  required for national security or first responders. It won’t fix the digital divide or make  driverless cars safer. 

These telecom-sponsored bills are not only unnecessary, they set a dangerous precedent for the  future. Suppose a community doesn’t want facial recognition or personal tracking technology in  its residential neighborhoods? If these bills are passed, communities will have no say about the  matter. It will be up to the telecoms themselves to decide how to integrate their lucrative new  technologies into our lives.  

The California legislature has better and more important things to do than spend taxpayer dollars  helping the wireless industry trample on the rights of Californians.  

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit judges in favor of environmental health groups and petitioners; finds FCC violated the Administrative Procedure Act and failed to respond to comments on environmental harm.

You can read more at Environmental Health Trust. 

AB 537  wants to  standardize the antenna siting process by eliminating “permits” for safety.  It forces local governments to review and approve antenna applications under stricter shot clocks and if the review is incomplete or found unsafe, the application(s) will be “deemed approved” and cities and counties will need to take the telecom carriers to court to stop construction. This bill overrides the FCC and the 9th Circuit court decision. 

SB 556 will allow Telecom carriers to attach multiple wireless antennas on all streetlights and utility poles in our public rights of way, again without local approval for safety.  The 2018 fires in Malibu were the result of an overloaded pole and resulted in billions in financial costs as well as personal loss and death. Our city/ our county has unique fire safety and zoning needs and these needs should be protected.  We rely on local officials like you to protect our safety, privacy, security, health and property,

These bills won’t improve connectivity, they won’t close the digital divide and they’re not needed for remote learning, working from home or for first responders. These are hoodwinked bills that are meant to seem beneficial, but the real purpose of these bills is to boost telecom profits by removing the time commitment needed for the permitting process. It’s not okay to put the profits of giant telecoms over the rights of their local constituents. 

•  AB 537 will go before Senate Appropriations on Monday Aug 16.
• SB 556 will pass Assembly Appropriations on Thurs Aug 19 

Find your Legislators Here.
Thank you for taking this valuable, timely action! 

For information about the digital divide go to Americans for Responsible Technology 

The telecom industry wrote SB-556 and AB-537 to fast-track approvals for its powerful new “small cell” antenna installations. The industry is Tired of delays caused by local governments trying to protect the safety and well-being of local residents with local zoning laws. The new antennas are necessary to allow AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others to enter the highly profitable video streaming business without having to run a physical cable into peoples’ homes or apartments. This has nothing to do with on-line education or improving access to the internet for low income and rural customers. The telecom industry is hoping a new generation of “cord cutters” will switch from their current cable subscriptions to new wireless subscriptions. The sad fact is it’s not worth it for telecoms to install their expensive antennas in underserved communities. People in these minority or economically challenged areas aren’t likely to sign up for expensive monthly subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu, Disney + and other services, which is where the real money for the telecoms lies. It’s a lot more expensive to maintain a wireless connection than a wired connection. 

The telecoms are promising that the passage of SB-556 and AB-537 will close the digital divide, but here’s the true story: they’ve been promising to stop “digital redlining” and connect minority and rural communities since at least the 1990s when they began to replace old copper lines with fiber-optic cable. But they never did connect those folks. And these bills contain nothing to make them do it now. The way to close the digital divide is with a superior technology that is faster, more reliable, more affordable, less prone to hacking and is 100% safe for everyone. A lot of the infrastructure is already in place. It’s fiberoptic to and through the premises, or “FTTP.” SB-556 and AB-537 can’t possibly close the digital divide, and anyone who says otherwise is either badly misinformed or deliberately mistaking the facts